Hot Toys Issues Infringement Notice

[screamingmetal]

right, they did infringe on the movie licenses, no doubt, but they aren't bootlegs of other toys. Their letter had nothing do to with people making unlicensed figures of other movies or characters. It was all about people taking a Hot Toy product, recasting/repainting/reselling it as official HTs product when its clearly not.

only the movie companies can shut you down because they own the rights. Hot Toys does not own the rights to Star Wars. they pay a fee to get the license to make Star Wars products. They cannot tell someone to stop making Star Wars inspired figures, only Disney can.

But they have every right to stop you from taking their figures and recasting/repainting/reselling them and trying to say those are official Hot Toys. Thats what the letter was about.

I did not just mention bootlegs in that post, just answering a question about unlicensed HT figures.
I already mentioned the main issue of HT copies in my earlier post here in this thread, post #117

 

[morphosis]

I did not just mention bootlegs in that post, just answering a question about unlicensed HT figures.
I already mentioned the main issue of HT copies in my earlier post here in this thread, post #117

right, i know. but people were calling these early figures "bootlegs" in previous posts and on FB when they are not bootlegs. they are just unlicensed, like we both said. I feel that is what people are getting mixed up with. bootlegs vs. unlicensed saying Hot Toys did the same thing that their letter stated. But that is not what the letter was talking about.

so sorry, I wasn't directing anything towards you, i was just continuing the conversation. Sorry if there was confusion.

but we all know a few posts from now people are going to again mix up the bootleg vs unlicensed issue

 

[RiggsMcClane]

It's the same thing if you go beyond the strict definition of a bootleg as illegally made alcohol or recordings.

Bootleg = unlicensed.

The synonyms of bootleg: illegal, illicit, unlawful, unauthorized, unsanctioned, unlicensed, unofficial, pirated; bootlegged, contraband, smuggled, black-market, under the counter.

Hot Toys' were once bootleggers. But like the hackers and con men who's skills are useful to Government organisations, they went straight.

Appreciate the clarification. My use of bootleg was meant in this manner. Bootleg, unlicensed, unauthorized, etc.

 

[morphosis]

It's the same thing if you go beyond the strict definition of a bootleg as illegally made alcohol or recordings.

Bootleg = unlicensed.

The synonyms of bootleg: illegal, illicit, unlawful, unauthorized, unsanctioned, unlicensed, unofficial, pirated; bootlegged, contraband, smuggled, black-market, under the counter.

Hot Toys' were once bootleggers. But like the hackers and con men who's skills are useful to Government organisations, they went straight.

yeah, but in the context of their letter, that is not what they are talking about. They have no say if some company makes a Punisher figure unlicensed. They cannot do anything except maybe contact Disney & Marvel. But Hot Toys cannot stop you from making that Punisher figure. Only Disney/Marvel can.

But if you "bootleg" their product, recast, repaint, resell a Hot Toys product as HTs or your own, then that is where Hot Toys can go after you. And thats all Hot Toys was talking about in their letter.

But if you read posts here and on FB, people are up at arms saying its "competition" or whatever. No, that is not what they are trying to stop. They are trying to stop the recasts. That is all they can stop. They have no say on the actual character or movie. they don't own the movies or the characters. They aren't trying to stop the ThreeZeros, The Big Cheifs, NECA or the Mezcos, or the whoever else that have licensing. I don't think they are even trying to stop VTS. They just want to stop the recasters/repainters of their own HTs products.

i wouldn't say they went straight, they just worked on those other figures to get people like Disney/WB/Marvel/LucasFilms to notice them and interested in them making toys for them. That's how it works. But they never were taking someone elses product trying to pass it as their own.

 

[RiggsMcClane]

It's getting to this point. We get it.

 

[morphosis]

Yes, they're protecting their brand from being diminished by inferior copies which the uninitiated might mistake for genuine.

At the same time they also know that the copies cut into their market share. I read posts from people asking if copies of heads were available even before HT has released their product!

Once it was 'replica' clothes and sculpts for long sold out figures. Now it's adverts for replicas (using HT photos) for upcoming product.

yeah, i know. these bootleggers will pretty much do anything, and its all because they see a way to scam $$.

i will be in the minority with this one, but i dont think bootlegs hurt them financially. They are making their products no matter what. And they make several thousand if not tens of thousands of each figure. They got plenty of buy in from many stores/shops of their product all over the world. I don't think bootlegs hurt them financially. Most of their product is already sold by the time its released.

I think they worry about their brand and also protecting the licensor. i know most won't be with me on this, but they are also trying to protect the collector who doesn't know the difference. Over the years most have made them into the bad guys coming up with all these conspiracy theories that they are out to get the collector. But i will never be on that side of things with them. If you don't like their product that is one thing. But to me they are making these toys because they love it, and they want to give cool stuff to the fans of the movies. But thats my way of viewing them. I know others feel different and thats fine.

 

[Sidewinder]

Wasn't there a full on recast of Groot a few years ago?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[GaryPool]

What? You've seen art somewhere?

Strange, I just see plastic dolls!

Bloody hell, rich people are so entitled!

Well that's because you probably have no appreciation of hand-made stuff. Art, a craft... whatever. You have the skillset to produce these things? Doubt it... sure they're dolls whatever... but you honestly don't think tailoring clothing, regardless of scale and size, paint application, sculpting etc. not being art? You wouldn't consider the model makers or prop makers, or research and development people, or the maquette makers, or the sculptors, or the set makers and makeup people for films and TV artists? You wouldn't call films with dolls or maquettes such as Kubo and the Two Strings art?

Whatever, if you're just after dolls just get dolls - I don't understand how anyone can collect these things and not appreciate or understand the artistic skillset that goes into them.

Again... entitled. Same reasoning can be applied to those who would pay top price for a real or original art print, painting or drawing - and those who are happy just having a ****tily scanned version of it on crap paper for 5 quid - expecting the same type of work for as cheap as possible.

That's not to say that people who don't have the money for such things can't go down that avenue, it's fair enough. But in the end, stuff like this isn't a necessity, and if you're trying to get the exact same quality as the actual thing for a cheaper price, in my opinion it's because you don't give a **** for the integrity and work that goes into them - which is evident by you calling them just dolls, which yeah they are dolls, but that's not all they are. Again, just because you want it but can't afford it, but expect someone else's quality of a different price point, it's because you want it and don't need it, and are self-entitled to thinking you deserve someone else's work for a cheaper price because you think you and others in the hobby should set someone else's price point.

I'm not rich myself, and have to actively save up for anything I want, but I wouldn't buy them if I didn't think the work that goes into them is deserving of it.

 

[meanstreak]

I've seen full copies of: almost every new head sculpt, and full figures of Groot, Iron Man, Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, Scarlet Witch, Winter Soldier and Black Widow. I'm sure there are more that I have missed.

 

[jye4ever]

What is the average cost of these bootleg items anyways.

 

[meanstreak]

I always see them for like $120

I've never bought them though so can't speak for the quality.

 

[franpincho]

Well that's because you probably have no appreciation of hand-made stuff. Art, a craft... whatever. You have the skillset to produce these things? Doubt it... sure they're dolls whatever... but you honestly don't think tailoring clothing, regardless of scale and size, paint application, sculpting etc. not being art? You wouldn't consider the model makers or prop makers, or research and development people, or the maquette makers, or the sculptors, or the set makers and makeup people for films and TV artists? You wouldn't call films with dolls or maquettes such as Kubo and the Two Strings art?

Whatever, if you're just after dolls just get dolls - I don't understand how anyone can collect these things and not appreciate or understand the artistic skillset that goes into them.

Again... entitled. Same reasoning can be applied to those who would pay top price for a real or original art print, painting or drawing - and those who are happy just having a ****tily scanned version of it on crap paper for 5 quid - expecting the same type of work for as cheap as possible.

That's not to say that people who don't have the money for such things can't go down that avenue, it's fair enough. But in the end, stuff like this isn't a necessity, and if you're trying to get the exact same quality as the actual thing for a cheaper price, in my opinion it's because you don't give a **** for the integrity and work that goes into them - which is evident by you calling them just dolls, which yeah they are dolls, but that's not all they are. Again, just because you want it but can't afford it, but expect someone else's quality of a different price point, it's because you want it and don't need it, and are self-entitled to thinking you deserve someone else's work for a cheaper price because you think you and others in the hobby should set someone else's price point.

I'm not rich myself, and have to actively save up for anything I want, but I wouldn't buy them if I didn't think the work that goes into them is deserving of it.

They are just dolls man. Mass produced dollies.

 

[RIDDICK]

They are just dolls man. Mass produced dollies.

It's just that some people have problems with callin' their figures proper names.
They also think that kids toys are sculpted by lab monkeys and not artists who get paid for their work.
It's all about feelin' "mature" and "elite" while spendin' money on dolls.

 

[GaryPool]

It's just that some people have problems with callin' their figures proper names.
They also think that kids toys are sculpted by lab monkeys and not artists who get paid for their work.
It's all about feelin' "mature" and "elite" while spendin' money on dolls.

Of course toys are sculpted by artists - you're just proving my point, I'd raise the exact same thing against bootleg toys/dolls also of cheaper quality.

Yes, they're dolls, figures, toys... it doesn't change the art skills that specifically go into Hot Toys. And if you want the quality of the artists making these then buy the products from those artists. If you don't care for the quality and want something a lot cheaper then buy something cheaper with lesser quality that isn't ripped - in my opinion anyone that thinks they deserve the quality that Hot Toys produce but as a bootleg and cheaper price because they think Hot Toys should make everything they want or sell them a lot cheaper then they're complete self entitled with no respect for the people that make them.

In the end the discussion on what you call these isn't that important - it's that because people don't like their prices but want the same quality they have no problem buying them, which I think is dumb, personally, and an insult to the original sculptor and painter - concerning replicas of course. With other companies making figures without liscences I'm not really fussed about that, it's their choice to get into that

 

[RIDDICK]

Earlier today I pre-ordered a sixth scale articulated piece of artwork from a 30-year old cult film.

https://cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder141/62153141.jpg

 

[morphosis]

Well that's because you probably have no appreciation of hand-made stuff. Art, a craft... whatever. You have the skillset to produce these things? Doubt it... sure they're dolls whatever... but you honestly don't think tailoring clothing, regardless of scale and size, paint application, sculpting etc. not being art? You wouldn't consider the model makers or prop makers, or research and development people, or the maquette makers, or the sculptors, or the set makers and makeup people for films and TV artists? You wouldn't call films with dolls or maquettes such as Kubo and the Two Strings art?

Whatever, if you're just after dolls just get dolls - I don't understand how anyone can collect these things and not appreciate or understand the artistic skillset that goes into them.

Again... entitled. Same reasoning can be applied to those who would pay top price for a real or original art print, painting or drawing - and those who are happy just having a ****tily scanned version of it on crap paper for 5 quid - expecting the same type of work for as cheap as possible.

That's not to say that people who don't have the money for such things can't go down that avenue, it's fair enough. But in the end, stuff like this isn't a necessity, and if you're trying to get the exact same quality as the actual thing for a cheaper price, in my opinion it's because you don't give a **** for the integrity and work that goes into them - which is evident by you calling them just dolls, which yeah they are dolls, but that's not all they are. Again, just because you want it but can't afford it, but expect someone else's quality of a different price point, it's because you want it and don't need it, and are self-entitled to thinking you deserve someone else's work for a cheaper price because you think you and others in the hobby should set someone else's price point.

I'm not rich myself, and have to actively save up for anything I want, but I wouldn't buy them if I didn't think the work that goes into them is deserving of it.

100% agree. I think most people appreciate the artists, and most really love Hot Toys. but there are some that don't and like to express they don't over and over. It been going on for years and years, yet HTs is more successful than ever and they grow every year, and to me their artistry gets better every year. Some might not think so, but whatever...

 

[ali032373]

Many of us wouldnt even be in this hobby or on this site right now if not for HT. Give credit where credit is due.

 

[DiFabio]

Hawt Toyz is love. Hawt Toyz is lyfe!


Sometimes I wonder if Hot Toys has paid peeps on these forums to shower them with praise and "correct" any criticisms that are thrown their way. Certainly seems like it. It would also explain the terrible grammar since English is probably their second or third language.

 

[jye4ever]

I is toys hot me love them long time.

 

[Chakor]

This is a fun thread.